'Stoker' 2013

STOKER

I watched 'Stoker' last night, I hadn’t heard much about it but had been interested in the poster and usually enjoy Nicole Kidman films. The director of photography was Chung-hoon Chung and I’d loved his work on the movie ‘I’m a cyborg but that’s ok’. The look of ‘Stoker’ was very striking from the start. A colour palette was quickly established with a vintage, polaroid feel that used a lot of rich mustard colours and greens. The look reflected nature and suited the moody far-off personality of the main character India. The film was  very beautiful, I did feel quite disconnected to the characters at times but it felt fitting to India and Charlies strange nature which makes them unreadable. It makes us feel more like spectator to their ‘secret connection’ and strengthens the gifts and secrets they share. One thing I really enjoyed was how Charlie an India were connected visually. The scenes where India lies on her bed making ‘snow angel’ movements is echoed in young Charlie when he lies on top of the sandpit (after burying something). I was apprehensive Charlie would be revealed as some kind of alternate personality for india and felt this would’ve been too similar to other films, even though this is still a possibility, the fact it is subtle is more fitting. 

 I found some intresting posters for the film on pinterest. This black one based on India's shoe collection is a favourite. I really like how her progression into womanhood is shown through shoes and emphasizes the strange period of being a hormonal teenager girl.